Residents of the Eastern Shore of Virginia should take common-sense precautions to protect themselves from mosquitoes as health officials keep an eye on the Zika virus, the director of the Eastern Shore Health District told Accomack County officials Wednesday.

“Should this come to our community, this will be hard,” said Dr. David Matson.

He advised residents who are thinking of traveling to parts of the world where the virus is prevalent to gather facts before undertaking a trip.

The virus' effects on developing fetuses are especially devastating.

“If you are thinking about starting a pregnancy, it’s time to ask the question about Zika,” Matson said.

As of Wednesday, 43 cases of infection have been documented in Virginia since the end of April. All were in people who have traveled. Three of the 43 cases are in the Eastern region of the state.

All but one reported case of the virus in the United States so far have been in travelers, but the virus can be sexually transmitted. There was a human to human transmitted case reported in Georgia.

One traveler who developed the Zika virus has died in the United States.

Three cases of microencephaly — a condition in which a fetus' brain does not develop normally — have been reported in babies born in the United States.

Matson gave the Board of Supervisor members a brief overview of the virus’ history, including how it is transmitted.

Zika spread from eastern Africa east around the world starting around 2006, he said.

The virus has reached epidemic status in parts of South America, and has spread throughout Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.

“There has never been an infection like this for a mosquito-borne disease,” he said, noting it has spread at a rate of some 10 miles a day.

More than 5,000 cases of microencephaly have been reported in Brazil.

“It’s a devastating outcome,” Matson said, adding, “With early infection, especially in the first three months, the development of the brain is essentially zero.”

It is not yet known which types of mosquitoes might transmit Zika in North America, although several different types have transmitted it elsewhere in the world.

“We do have guidance — it’s official guidance — it’s somewhat simple … You do the things against mosquitoes you should be doing,” Matson said.

“The key thing is keeping it from getting here,” he said.

The virus can be in mosquito eggs, which can remain dormant for years, making it important to reduce areas where mosquitoes breed, such as old tire dumps and other standing water.

Three types of mosquitoes are the main concern on the Eastern Shore when it comes to transmitting the virus. Of the three, two — the Asian tiger mosquito and the house mosquito — are known transmitters of Zika.

It is not known whether the saltmarsh mosquito, the most common type on the Eastern Shore, could transmit the disease, Matson said.

The incubation period after infection with Zika is three to 14 days. Symptoms include a rash, fever, joint pain and red, inflamed eyes.

Infants can be infected during childbirth and fetuses are affected from the mother’s infection during pregnancy.

Women diagnosed with Zika should wait eight weeks before a couple tries to get pregnant, and men diagnosed should wait six months after the illness before fathering a child.

A national “Zika in Pregnancy Registry” has been established.

Recommendations to prevent the disease include reducing mosquito breeding areas; reducing the number of mosquito bites a person gets by spraying clothes with permethrin, wearing long sleeves and long pants and keeping mosquitoes out of the house; and avoiding travel to active Zika transmission areas.

Matson told county supervisors that counties and municipalities have “strong powers” given in state law for maintaining mosquito control commissions.

The county currently has only one such commission, in Greenbackville.

Matson noted Chincoteague sprays daily to control mosquitoes.

Congress went out of session without dedicating money to fight Zika, Matson told the board.

“We don’t have the virus here right now. Our goal is to get through this year without the virus anywhere in North America,” Matson said.